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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Posted: August 9th, 2011, 5:52 pm
by ChiO
The Mr. Arkadin wrote:
Another interesting tidbit: Welles could not reach many of the actors to re-record their dialogue in post production, so he overdubbed around twenty voices himself!
Ditto for OTHELLO and THE TRIAL. Great filmmakers work with what they have, which should put to rest the myth that Welles was a chronically over-budget director.

Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Posted: August 11th, 2011, 8:47 pm
by Uncle Stevie
This goes back to several old threads about who is right for a part. There are many performers who have just plain "magnetic appeal" and many of us will watch their movies regardless of the plot and direction. I will watch any Esther Williams, Betty Grable, Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire, and a whole host of others no matter what the movie just because they make me feel good on screen. Many other great actors get into films with terrible plots that make me sad or disturbed. Rita Hayworth and Cyd Charisse for instance. I love them both but some of the movies they are in are dark and do not appeal to me personally. So I must watch what I want to watch.

My very special girlfriend, Deanna Durbin, was noted for her career as a well-acted singer in light musicals. But she made one of her personal best movies, Christmas Holiday, with Gene Kelly and based on a Somerset Maugham book that I thought was terrible. Mostly because I fell in love with Deanna because of her light musical/love plots and this was not that. It was definitely noir.

To this day there are some movies I will or will not watch based upon the cast. I never follow directors or producers. Finding the right movie for a psychotic nutcase like me is hard to do, but I keep searching.

Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Posted: August 12th, 2011, 6:03 pm
by mrsl
.
Hi Guys:
I hope I'm not stomping on any tender feelings here, but I wass going to ask a question about Up in The Air, until I read the last two posts by Kingrat and Uncle Stevie, and just had to contribute my two cents.

Kingrat:

William Powell is one of the last I would consider as irresistible for women although probably many ladies would disagree with me. Esther Williams is not equal to Myrna Loy - - she stands miles above Myrna. Keenan was still playing second banana to Van here and not a leading man at all.

Uncle Stevie:

I understand everything you said and agree 100%. I have to like at least the leading figures in a movie cast, whether it be 2, 4 or an ensemble.
.

Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 3:03 am
by Fossy
Million Dollar Mermaid (1952) Revisited

A biopic of Annette Kellerman starring Esther Williams as Annette Kellerman and Victor Mature as James (Jimmy) Sullivan.

Annette was born crippled, but overcame her disability by teaching herself to swim. She achieved fame in both England and USA. She appeared in 12 movies, including 6 short movies. She was also featured as herself in 9 other short movies. She was an author (4 books). She was also credited with being the first woman to appear nude in a feature movie ( A Daughter Of The Gods (1916)).

In real life she married James Sullivan (portrayed by Victor Mature in the movie). The couple retired to Southport, on Queensland`s Gold Coast. The marriage lasted just short of 63 years and ended with her husband`s death. Annette outlived her husband by only 6 days.

Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 7:53 am
by Rita Hayworth
Fossy,

I case your are interested there is a thread devoted to Esther Williams.
http://silverscreenoasis.com/oasis3/vie ... =22&t=5212

I started that thread ... perhaps you might want to re-check it out. I'm glad you liked it.

Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Posted: August 16th, 2011, 11:22 am
by srowley75
I spent the weekend developing a taste for Fassbinder. I viewed Fox and His Friends, The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, and (my favorite of the bunch) Ali: Fear Eats the Soul. Some of his films are a bit boring, but just as I begin to lose interest, I find something that draws me back in. All of them have aspects that resonate with me - and it's odd, but for some reason I couldn't help but be reminded of the films of Darren Aronofsky while I was watching a couple of these movies.

A friend of mine has collected most of Fassbinder's films on R2 and during vacation we may try to work through a couple of the BRD trilogy. I've heard Veronika Voss is quite good.

Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Posted: August 16th, 2011, 12:26 pm
by MikeBSG
I've seen a bit of Fassbinder over the years, and I agree that "Ali: Fear Eats the Soul" is one of his best. That was the first Fassbinder film I saw.

I'm also one of the few unimpressed by "Veronika Voss." It never took off for me. I actually prefer Fassbinder's "Lili Marlene," which is usually dumped on by most critics.

"Lola," from the BRD trilogy is one of my favorite Fassbinder films. Mario Adorf and Arnim Mueller-Stahl are superb in that film.

"The Stationmaster's Wife" is another very good Fassbinder film. "Mother Kusters Goes to Heaven" is usually overlooked by American critics but is, I think, one of his top films.

Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Posted: August 16th, 2011, 12:55 pm
by ChiO
ALI: FEAR EATS THE SOUL is one of the most emotional films I've ever seen. Fassbinder, for me, doesn't create the distance or detachment from the characters that Sirk does. Sirk is a reporter; Fassbinder is a participant.

Don't forget THE MARRIAGE OF MARIA BRAUN and a particular favorite of mine, MARTHA, based on a story by Cornell Woolrich (aka Fassbinder does noir).

Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Posted: August 16th, 2011, 1:57 pm
by Mr. Arkadin
ChiO wrote:ALI: FEAR EATS THE SOUL is one of the most emotional films I've ever seen. Fassbinder, for me, doesn't create the distance or detachment from the characters that Sirk does. Sirk is a reporter; Fassbinder is a participant.
Indeed! If Sirk painted pictures, Fassbinder shot photographs, often revealing his subjects in embarassing states of honesty.
ChiO wrote:Don't forget THE MARRIAGE OF MARIA BRAUN and a particular favorite of mine, MARTHA, based on a story by Cornell Woolrich (aka Fassbinder does noir).
You could say almost every Fassbinder film has a noirish outlook. My hands down favorite is Chinese Roulette (1976), in which a crippled girl engages her parents (and secret lovers) in a game of cruelty that goes too far. Another astounding work is Fox and his Friends (1974), where a poor young man wins the lottery, only to discover money cannot buy love, loyalty, or respect.

Or you could just say he made Fassbinder films...

Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Posted: August 16th, 2011, 2:04 pm
by Mr. Arkadin
srowley75 wrote:I spent the weekend developing a taste for Fassbinder. I viewed Fox and His Friends, The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, and (my favorite of the bunch) Ali: Fear Eats the Soul. Some of his films are a bit boring, but just as I begin to lose interest, I find something that draws me back in. All of them have aspects that resonate with me - and it's odd, but for some reason I couldn't help but be reminded of the films of Darren Aronofsky while I was watching a couple of these movies.

A friend of mine has collected most of Fassbinder's films on R2 and during vacation we may try to work through a couple of the BRD trilogy. I've heard Veronika Voss is quite good.
Bitter Tears is an incredible take on the power of domination and control and this is the theme which usually works its way through all his later films. Fox for example, becomes rich, but is influenced by others who use him for their own ends.

Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Posted: August 16th, 2011, 3:35 pm
by MichiganJ
srowley75 wrote:I spent the weekend developing a taste for Fassbinder...
I know you wont have the time now, but don't miss Fassbinder's Berlin Alexanderplatz; you'll never forget it.

A couple that I haven't seen mentioned that I'd highly recommend:
Fear of Fear (1975)--think Cassavetes with a touch of humor
Satan's Brew (1976--one of the darkest and funniest of the Fassbinder films I've seen.
srowley75 wrote:I've heard Veronika Voss is quite good.
(It is, IMHO)

Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Posted: August 16th, 2011, 3:41 pm
by ChiO
MichJ --

I have a copy of Berlin Alexanderplatz that I haven't watched (next to the copy of Satantango that I haven't watched). Given that it was made for TV, can I watch it in episodes (like The Decalogue) without feeling guilty?

Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

Posted: August 16th, 2011, 4:06 pm
by MichiganJ
ChiO wrote:MichJ --

I have a copy of Berlin Alexanderplatz that I haven't watched (next to the copy of Satantango that I haven't watched). Given that it was made for TV, can I watch it in episodes (like The Decalogue) without feeling guilty?
Except for the introductory episode, all of the subsequent episodes are about an hour, so it's quite easy to watch in installments. The first time through, I watched two episodes a night. The second time, I tried watching the entire film over a weekend. While I enjoyed the film both times, I found by doing the installments, there was that wonderful anticipation of having to wait to watch what happens next; the delayed satisfaction effect, I suppose.